It’s one thing for a team like the Washington Mystics to “go young.” Or even “go young by any means necessary.” Since Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger took an active role handling the front office in 2025, he seemed pretty clear about the first part. The second part has to be because there is promise with at least some of the youth showing promise early one.
The Mystics were fortunate — and quite savvy — to select both Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen No. 3 and No. 4 respectively in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Both were All-Stars in a season where the Mystics had a realistic chance of making the playoffs until the very end of the season. The Mystics are building around the two with a roster made nearly entirely of rookies. There were some games where the Mystics showed their potential. Others, not so much. So is there a sophomore slump in terms of where the two rank?
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Not really.
SB Nation’s Noa Dalzell had a ranking of the top sophomore players in the WNBA, where Citron is ranked No. 2, just behind Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers. Here is the blurb on Citron:
Citron was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year last year, and she’s picked up right where she left off. While former Notre Dame teammate Olivia Miles is making headlines for her high-caliber play with the Minnesota Lynx, Citron is quietly having a strong sophomore campaign of her own. She’s averaging 17.1 points (second-most among second-year players), alongside 3.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.
Iriafen was ranked No. 5. Here is the blurb from Dalzell:
Kiki Iriafen earned the first Rookie of the Month selection in the class, and she’s continued her strong play into her sophomore season. Iriafen, a former Stanford and UCLA standout, is averaging 14.6 points (fourth-most among sophomores) and 8.9 rebounds (second among sophomores), while also showing her extended range (she’s shooting 35.7% from three this season).
I’m happy that national writers are pleased with the Mystics’ young stars, who also include Shakira Austin. However, individual player rankings also need to translate into wins. The Mystics haven’t started the 2026 season off poorly all things considered. However, when we get toward the All-Star Break, we may need to start wondering whether Washington can bring Citron and Iriafen back to the All-Star Game if Washington is not in the playoff mix as this season continues.
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